Protest over 4,500 homes plan near to M1
Planning officials have been accused of ignoring the Leicestershire public over plans to build more than 4,500 new homes.
Residents living close to the proposed site told officers from Blaby District Council at a meeting last night there had been a lack of consultation over proposals to develop 1,000 acres of land to the west of the M1, near Leicester Forest East.
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More than 250 people crammed in to the village's parish centre to hear council representatives outline the plans, though many said afterwards they feared it was already a done deal.
Bev Mitchinson, acting chair of the parish council, called for the opportunity for "full and meaningful" input from residents in future.
She said: "We do not support the argument that this site is the best option available.
"We ask Blaby District Council to address the serious affect this development will have on our residents and the resources that are already overstretched with the overflow from Thorpe Astley."
Villager Roger Green, 65, added: "We accept we have got to have a percentage of houses, but we seem to have to take it all in one place. We will be lobbying against the proposals but it feels like it is already a done deal."
Gary Clarke, planning policy manager for the district council, argued that the site had been chosen following five years of research and numerous feasibility studies.
He said efforts to reduce the Government-imposed target to build 7,600 houses in the district had been rejected by Whitehall.
"We are not saying everything is perfect," he said.
"We know there are issues and challenges that we have to address.
"But we have been given a target that we have to meet."
Under the proposals, the site, which is bordered by the M1 to the east and Beggars Lane to the west, would include three new primary schools, a secondary school, health care facilities and shopping areas, for a predicted 10,000 new residents.
Alternative sites at Glenfield and to the west of Kirby Muxloe have been rejected by Blaby District Council as untenable. Included in the plans is a 20-hectare site to be developed for factory and office space to the south of M69, in Enderby.
A six-week consultation period ends on September 10, at which point the council will submit its strategy to Whitehall.
10 Comments
by Dave, H&B
Monday, August 24 2009, 12:32PM
“Heyyy,
It seems that incompetence is a general "planning department" problem all accross the country.
We have the exact same sort of problems in Hinckley and Bosworth and we all have been able to read similar stories all over the country.
It is time that these people pull their fingers out and start actually working, coming with man sized realistic plans and not half done plans that are just easy and convenient for them (because less work involved).”
by Sofa Tester, L.F.E. (The Traffic Jam Parish)
Friday, August 21 2009, 1:43PM
“Me'thinks I'll open a tea/coffes shop at Booze buster, they'll be plenty of customers in stationary traffic to serve”
by Pablo, Birmingham
Friday, August 21 2009, 12:55PM
“Why don't they build on top of the M1 too?”
by Paul, Hamilton
Friday, August 21 2009, 12:39PM
“Where is Mr LFE in this debate- he is always in favour of new house building so I thought he would be on saying this is a great idea.”
by stuart coar, Leicester Forest East
Friday, August 21 2009, 12:05PM
“So Blaby District Council decides LFE is the best place for another 5,000+ homes? - Well BDC you need to think on this FACT. Currently the A47 is at CAPACITY at rush hour. Even if every household within this new development only had one car, that would create another 5k vehicles needing access onto the A47 - How on earth will these vehicles be able to gain access, when currently some days the tail backs are from the Braunstone Cross Roads to the Desford cross roads(some 3 miles) - Add to this the FACT that the air quality within LFE during rush hour periods is very poor, so much so, that it nears the danger levels on many occasions, again a fact that BDC chooses to ignore. - Another 5k cars pollution will ensure these levels far exceed the legal limits.So BDC have a little think on this matter, residents of LFE pay higher council tax than many for living in a supposidley better area, with excellent surroundings and above all quality of life should be in keeping with the charges you make. If this plan goes ahead and pollution does worsen (which it will) I will be the first to chair a committe to ensure that the council tax of EVERY RESIDENT in LFE is REDUCED as our quality of life will be drastically reduced and pollution levels increased to a very unacceptable level. Belive me, I succeeded with the council tax increase and I WILL succeed in ensuring a reduction in council tax payments for EVERONE in our parish. This plan is completely un acceptable to the residents of LFE, Lubbesthorpe and Enderby and if those parishes join my petition, believe you me you will have a very large number of residents to argue with. So please think very carefully before you pass this one for permission!!- It could cost you a small fortune??”
by j, Enderby
Friday, August 21 2009, 12:00PM
“My problem with this proposal is the sheer scale of it,an extra 7-8000 cars 4 Hinckley Road & Narboro Road. The loss of 1000 acres of countryside.
Yet another Business Park!!! to add to Carlton Park,Warrens Park.Fosse Park.Grove Park & the Park & Ride. This area has been hammered because of its closeness to the motorway.
The other suprising thing here is the amount of people in Enderby & LE19 who are not aware of the proposal & or think it just affects LFE. This proposal joins Enderby to LFE !!
The "roadshow" was in Enderby for 1 day & was NOT highly publised.
The other question of course is why are these houses actually needed???”
by sour grape cake eater, North leicester
Friday, August 21 2009, 11:49AM
“Let them build them!, i dont live anywhere near there, so am not bothered by all this”
by Peter, LFE
Friday, August 21 2009, 10:49AM
“As ever the resident of LFE have been let down and badly represented by their Local Council (BDC).
At the meeting, we were spoken AT and consulted with, as BDC will put this proposal forward with no alterations and DO NOT have to take on board public opinion
Our local MP was not in attendance - no surprise
See my other comments from an earlier story on this website at http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Proposals-4-500-home-development-outlined/article-1264216-detail/article.html#StartComments
As a community we can offer our comments if they are based on planning reasons but they must be submitted to BDC by 10th September
A view of how much BDC think of Leicester Forest East is shown in the text of the Transport document, where LFE is only refered to as the "A47 Corridor"
Sorry BDC you have let us down as a community and you only want to talk AT us and not consult with us.
Maybe you are all in the wrong job !”
by S M Watkin, Leicester Forest East
Friday, August 21 2009, 10:19AM
“Where will all the extra traffic from this propsal go? the roads are already at full stretch.
The road structure around Kirby Muxloe is in a better position to take the traffic.Also where are all the jobs for these new residents? There are plenty of people in the area already looking for jobs.The land that you propose to build on is prime agricultural land and I thought that we were going to need as much of that as possible in the near future.
Leicester Forest Eeast seems to be the dumping ground for everything.”
by Mr A, leics
Friday, August 21 2009, 10:15AM
“"More than 250 people crammed in to the village's parish centre to hear council representatives outline the plans, though many said afterwards they feared it was already a done deal."
A DONE DEAL???
Say it aint so...
ooops
Ohhh sorry for the intrusion
, I thought I was reading the West Bridge article,.....”